Dress Code

Some NEISD elementary and middle Schools have adopted uniform requirements, below is a list of the campuses who currently have such requirements. To confirm these requirements and find out the specific requirements, please check with appropriate campus.

Middle Schools

Eisenhower

Garner

Jackson

Krueger

Nimitz

White

PHILOSOPHY AND GENERAL STATEMENT TO PARENTS

NEISD believes that school performance and future success are enhanced by appropriate dress and good grooming. Parents/Guardians are strongly urged to work closely with the school to ensure student's adherence to these standards. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to enforce moderate hairstyles and high standards of dress for their students, which at some campuses include standard attire such as uniforms. Parents/Guardians will be serving the welfare of our students and helping us as educators by emphasizing standards of neatness, cleanliness, safety, and decency in dress and grooming. The Dress Code is in effect for students while attending school functions or school sponsored activities on or off school property. Exceptions to this for certain school-related events are determined by each campus administrator.

Schools adopting a school uniform may have standards that exceed the District's dress code stated above. In addition, the dress code rules and regulations will be more restrictive in an alternative educational program.

The following rules are to be followed:

Hair must be neat and clean. Unconventional hairstyles that are considered to be distracting and/or disruptive to the educational environment are prohibited. Students may wear natural hair colors only. For further clarification on what is unconventional, please consult with your student's school administration.

Tanks/sleeveless shirts will be prohibited unless the width of the shirt’s shoulder is at least three (3) fingers wide. Sheer clothing is prohibited unless the under shirt’s shoulder width is at least three (3) fingers wide. Undergarments shall not be visible or exposed. Oversized armholes/jersey-type tanks are not permitted without a sleeved undershirt.

Clothing or conspicuously displayed jewelry or accessories with inappropriate advertising or statements that are offensive or inflammatory are prohibited. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, alcoholic beverages, profanity, sex, tobacco, drugs, gangs, guns and other weapons, excessively violent or gory imagery, and the promotion of violence. Certain colored items of clothing, conspicuously displayed jewelry or accessories, such as but not limited to, shirts, hair decorations, shoe laces, and the like may be prohibited at the discretion of the campus principal.

Lanyards with inappropriate advertising or statements that are offensive or inflammatory are prohibited. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, alcoholic beverages, profanity, sex, tobacco, drugs, gangs, guns and other weapons, excessively violent or gory imagery, and the promotion of violence. Lanyards may be prohibited at the discretion of the campus principal.

Appropriate footwear is required. Footwear that has toes and/or soles reinforced with steel, hard plastic or similar materials is prohibited. Footwear with wheels is prohibited.

Shorts will be permitted provided that the shorts are neatly hemmed, conservative and modest in appearance. Campus administration will determine appropriate length. Bicycle shorts, form fitting and skin-tight shorts or pants of spandex or other similar materials worn alone are prohibited. Dresses, skirts, skorts and split-skirts will be permitted provided that they are neatly hemmed, conservative, and modest in appearance. Campus administration will determine appropriate length. Excessively high slits in skirts and tight spandex will not be permitted.

Pants shall be worn securely at the waist. Sagging is prohibited. Excessively worn, torn, frayed, over-sized or long clothing is not permitted. Undergarments shall not be visible or exposed. Pants/leggings that are made of spandex or similar material must have an item of clothing worn over the material that completely covers the student’s bottom.

Body piercing ornaments and other similar ornaments will be worn on the ear only.

Visible tattoos and similar body painting(s) that promote violence or reflect gang activity are prohibited. Visible tattoos and similar body painting(s) that are considered offensive, inflammatory or disruptive to the learning environment are prohibited. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, inappropriate advertising or statements that are offensive or inflammatory alcoholic beverages, profanity, sex, tobacco, drugs, gangs, guns and other weapons, excessively violent or gory imagery, and the promotion of violence.

Hats, caps, or other head apparel with inappropriate advertising or statements that are offensive or inflammatory are prohibited. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, alcoholic beverages, profanity, sex, tobacco, drugs, gangs, guns and other weapons, excessively violent or gory imagery, and the promotion of violence. Hats, hoods on hooded sweatshirts, shirts, and jackets may not be worn during instructional, passing periods, or while in the building. Head apparel may be prohibited at the discretion of the campus principal.

Costumes of any type are prohibited.

Any apparel or attire that is considered to be distracting and/or disruptive to the educational environment. (ex. pajamas, house shoes) or is considered a safety concern is prohibited.

A review of dress and grooming policies will be made periodically and changes will be made as needed.

While it is inevitable that there will be differences of opinion as to the appropriateness of dress, grooming, and/or determining whether or not a student’s attire is disruptive or distracting to the educational environment of the school, the final determination will be made by the building principal. Any student who does not comply with the dress code will be removed from the regular school setting until the student complies with this code.

UNIFORM EXEMPTION

Parents/Guardians with a bona fide religious or philosophical objection to their students wearing a uniform may apply for an exemption/transfer. Applications are available in the school office. Applications are to be returned to the school. The District Uniform Review Committee will review the application and make a recommendation to the NEISD Board of Trustees. Parents/Guardians will be notified of the Board's decision.